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Commentary;
Dr. Aaron Lerner of IMRA points out an obvious shortcoming of the the Iron Dome System in its present form.
It seems obvious that what is needed are not static, stationary anti-rocket batteries, but fluid, mobile, transportable anti-rocket systems which are capable of reacting to intelligence, presumably derived in real-time by data supplied by satellite surveilance, as to location of rocket launchers so as to always maintain a 4 1/2 to 6 Km distance from point of launch. Whether such an obvious answer is evident to Defense Minister Barak remains to be seen. MB
Israel to Offer Iron Dome System to US – Consider Skyguard for Sderot, by Dr. Aaron Lerner IMRA
Full Text;
“The Skyguard today only exists on paper,” a defense official explained. “By the time it is ready, we will already have the Iron Dome deployed around Gaza.”
The officials said that the Iron Dome had recently been updated and was capable of hitting incoming missiles that were fired at a range of 4.5 kilometers from their target – more than enough to intercept the Kassams, which are usually fired 6 km. from Sderot.
That’s “usually”.
That’s “usually” now that they are also effective.
Let’s put on our thinking caps.
When Iron Dome is in place will they shoot from 4 kilometers so that Iron Dome cannot intercept the rockets or will they be sports and fire from a 6 kilometer distance?
Let’s not forget that Israel won’t shoot at a missile team detected setting up and firing from next to a school or bunch of kids. Oops!
Related report;
Israel to Offer Iron Dome System to US, by Yaakov Katz (Jerusalem Post)
Excerpts;
Defense Ministry Director-General Pinhas Buchris will travel to the US next week to try to interest the Pentagon in the Israeli-developed Iron Dome missile defense system and to explore procuring the Skyguard laser system to protect Sderot from Kassam rockets…
The Iron Dome system is under development by the Rafael Armaments Authority and was chosen last year by a Defense Ministry committee as Israel’s defense system against the short-range Kassam and Katyusha rockets. Israel believes that the US Army might be interested in the system to protect its forces in Iraq and Afghanistan.
There is growing criticism by former senior defense officials that the Iron Dome – which uses a kinetic missile to intercept incoming Kassam rockets – will not be effective in protecting Sderot due to the short distance and flight time between the Negev town and the rocket launch pads in Gaza.
On Thursday, the Sapir Academic College, located just outside Sderot, will host a conference on missile defense at which some speakers are expected to call on Israel to buy the Skyguard system.
The defense officials… dismissed the claims made by supporters of the Nautilus – such as laser expert and former Rafael employee Dr. Oded Amihai – that the Iron Dome was incapable of protecting Sderot due to the short distance between Gaza and the Negev city.
The officials said that the Iron Dome had recently been updated and was capable of hitting incoming missiles that were fired at a range of 4.5 kilometers from their target – more than enough to intercept the Kassams, which are usually fired 6 km. from Sderot.